Into Eternity - The Incurable Tragedy

Published September 22 2008

*=Staff's pick	Prelude To Woe (Intro) Tides Of Blood Spent Years Of Regret* Symptoms (Instrumental) Diagnosis Terminal* The Incurable Tragedy I (September 21, 2006) Indignation* Time Immemorial* The Incurable Tragedy II (November 10, 2006) A Black Light Ending One Funeral Hymn For The Three The Incurable Tragedy III (December 15, 2006)

Genre	Melodic Death Metal	Stu Block/Tim Roth	Vocals
Tracks	12	Tim Roth	Guitar
Runningtime	39 Min.	Justin Bender	Guitar
Label	Century Media	Troy Bleich	Bass
Release	22 August 2008	Steve Bolognese	Drums
Country	Canada	-	Keyboard
Similar artists	All That Remains, Pegazus, 3 Inches Of Blood

This is the first concept album for the dreaming dead boys of Into Eternity. I'm sure, like me, you grow weary of concept albums, but this anthem of indignation is more personal, direct, and heartfelt. Main songwriter Tim Roth has recently faced incursive tragedy in the untimely deaths of loved ones, family, and friends, all who perished by cancer. This fictional tale is his way of dealing with the pain, sorrow, and severe emotional distress.

Even though this is a concept album, similar to what Dream Theater have achieved, Into Eternity qualify the essence of the drama, in half the time, with dark passages and symptomatic intermediate intstrumentals, and soliloquoys.

In the midst of so many new releases, I have not been able to appreciate this album, as much as I have their previous efforts, all of which are great. Sadly, this one tends to fall into the 'same ole' category, and does not floor me as much as their previous effort. Perhaps when I see them perform the new material live, I can be dissuaded.

I still enjoy this funeral hymn, and I appreciate Stu Block's dichotomous vocal presence. When he sings clean he often reminds me of Johnny Stojcevski of Australia's Pegazus. This is especially true on the stand-out track "Diagnosis Terminal". This splintered visions approach reminds me of the clean/harsh style of 3 Inches Of Blood, and All That Remains.

Another line-up change has occured and Steve Bolognese (Beyond The Embrace) replaces Jim Austen on drums, doing a fine job punishing the skins. Justin Bender joins as an additional guitar polemic to the three dimensional aperture. The guitarmonies are quite eloquent and very involved. I just wish Tim could maintain the same line-up for at least two albums.

As far as songs go, "Indignation" is brutal and beautiful. "Time Memorial" carries with it the morose seclusion and almost Black Metal vibe. "A Black Light Ending" is blistering with the suspension of disbelief.

The Incurable Tragedy is truly a great album, unfortunately the scattering of structure just clashes with the effluence and emotion, leaving the listener torn, less empathetic; buried in oblivion, confusion, and sonic disarray.

See also review of: The Scattering Of Ashes

Performance	Originality	Production	Vocals	Songwriting
7	7,5	7	8	7

Summary
7 chalices of 10 - Michael the MettleAngel